Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Fall in a Shootout
11/2/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
The game was a battle on the ground as Indiana had two 100-yard rushers for the second time this season. Redshirt freshman Yamar Washington had 31 carries for 130 yards and three touchdowns, while true freshman Chris Taylor had 102 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown. Taylor replaced junior back Brian Lewis, who was out with a thumb injury. Taylor came into the game with only six carries on the season and 36 yards. Northwestern's Jason Wright was the biggest ground gainer on the day with 219 yards on 23 carries and four touchdowns.
Things looked bleak for the Hoosiers starting the fourth quarter as they trailed 34-22 and were forced to punt the ball away. But the Hoosier defense came up with a huge turnover as Brett Basaniez fumbled the ball and sophomore linebacker Herana-Daze Jones picked it up and rumbled in from nine yards out.
On the ensuing series, Hoosier freshman Russ Richardson recovered a second consecutive Basaniez fumble. The Hoosiers once again capitalized on the Northwestern turnover when Washington scored his third touchdown of the game from one-yard out. Washington also scored the two-point conversion for the Hoosiers on a shove pass from Gibran Hamdan to put Indiana up 37-34.
Northwestern once again looked as though they would respond to the IU score driving down inside the Hoosier 10-yard line. The Indiana defense was up to the challenge holding the Wildcat offense out of the endzone. The chip shot field goal attempt from 22 yards out by Northwestern's Brian Huffman sailed wide right. Huffman had taken over for David Wasielewski at halftime after Wasielewski missed an extra point and field goal in the first half.
Northwestern though forced Indiana to go three and out, and Ryan Hamre's 20-yard punt gave the Wildcats good field position at the Indiana 44-yard line. Five plays later, Jason Wright for the fourth time in the game, scored from seven-yards out to put Northwestern up, 41-37.
With Indiana needing a score to recapture the lead, the Hoosiers went to the air. Hamdan hit sophomore wideout Courtney Roby over the middle for 15 yards and the Hoosiers appeared to be in business. A six-yard completion to Glenn Johnson and two incompletions set up 4th-and 4 from their own 36-yard line. Hamdan hit Roby open in the flat, but the Indianapolis, Ind., native could not hold onto the ball and IU turned it over on downs.
The Hoosiers got on the board first on a two-yard burst by Washington. The Dallas, Texas native ran the ball eight straight times before punching it in. He had all 60 of the Hoosiers yards on the drive. Sophomore place kicker Bryan Robertson missed the extra point and the Hoosiers were up, 6-0.
Northwestern would not be out done though as Jeff Backes took the ensuing kickoff back 73 yards to the Indiana 18-yard line. Two plays later, Wildcat running back Jason Wright scored from five-yards out. But the kicking problems continued as Northwestern's David Wasielewski missed the Wildcat PAT and the game was knotted at six.
Wright stuck again five minutes later as he ran the ball in from 12 yards out. He finished the half with 98 yards rushing and 59 yards receiving. Wasielewski added the extra point and Northwestern led for the first time on the afternoon, 13-6.
Washington continued his success for the Hoosiers on the ground. He punched it in from two-yards out. The touchdown was his sixth of the season. The big play on the drive was a 13-yard pass to sophomore tight end Aaron Halterman on third and five. Once again Robertson missed the PAT and the Hoosiers trailed 13-12.
Robertson got some redemption on the next Indiana drive. After the Hoosier drive stalled on the Northwestern 26-yard line, Robertson booted a 43-yard field goal to put the Hoosiers up 15-13 before the end of the half. Robertson is now 8-of-11 on field goals this season, including 5-for-5 from over 40 yards.
A pair of Hoosier miscues in the third quarter gave Northwestern a 27-15 lead. The Hoosiers made a gamble on 4th-and-4 from their own 23-yard line. IU tried to fake a punt, but Halterman was stopped a yard short of the first down. Two rushes from Wright later put Northwestern up 20-15.
On Indiana's ensuing procession, Hamdan was intercepted by Northwestern's David Thompson. Northwestern took seven plays from there to punch it in against for a 27-15 lead. Brett Basaniez hit Jon Schweighardt for the six-yard touchdown to cap the drive.
The Hoosiers wouldn't go away as Taylor found the scoring column. The Memphis, Tenn. native took the handoff and went 26 yards for his first career touchdown. IU covered 72 yards on seven plays on the drive and Robertson tapped on the extra point to make the score, 27-22.
Northwestern looked to be pinned deep in their own territory after senior defensive lineman Kris Dielman had a tackle for a loss back to the Northwestern 4-yard line. But the Wildcats went six plays from there capped off by a three-yard plunge by Noah Herron to go back up, 34-22.
The Hoosiers will return home next weekend when they host the Spartans of Michigan State on Parents Weekend at 1:00 p.m. The Spartans dropped a 49-3 decision to arch-rival Michigan on Saturday.
